I sigh, the arrogant Fae pulling me quickly back to reality.

“Is there something you need, Ilyric?” My eyes narrow toward the unwanted visitor.

He scrutinizes the room once again, a deeper frown quickly forming on his face.

“Isn’t there any type of communication here that we can use to contact the Council? I mean, there has to be something in this place to be able to contact them, right?”

He turns to me, his brows furrowed and eyes restless.

“We need to check on the other Libraries.”

Other Libraries? There was only one other Library whose people hadn't been brought here.

The First Sector.

And there was no news from Barius on the First Library. Why was Ilyric so desperate to know about them? By the look on his face, there was something he was worried about.

I shake my head. “No, unfortunately, we started having problems with our communications just before you all arrived. Maybe the power from the portal caused some blowback when you were all transported here.”

Isaac had checked the artifact links all around the Library. They were all frazzled or blown completely. Mirin also complained about not getting any service on her iPhone after they arrived.

Ugh, I hated technology. Give me a pen and a piece of paper over a computer any day.

It was also the reason why my own phone was usually dead, lying on a table somewhere in the Library or on my bed.

“There has to be something in this rundown godforsaken shack.” He grits his teeth, his eyes scanning the room around him as he begins to pace back and forth.

Jace steps closer to me, his eyes narrowed at the irate Fae, gold flecks filling his amber eyes.

Ilyric picks up one of Isaiah’s miscellaneous artifact pieces from the other side of the desk, a fragmented Aimoris. The small magical transmitter is half the size of my palm and made from delicate glass and copper. It’s also one of Isaiah’s favorite keepsakes.

“Broken! Why keep such useless junk!”

Becoming more frustrated, he flings it back on the table. He winces as it hits the table hard, knocking over the papers stacked on it. It continues to roll to the corner before a large hand catches it at the edge. The small relic would have shattered to pieces had it hit the floor.

Jace cradles the Aimoris, small cracks now formed on its delicate glass shell from the hard throw. He places it gently in front of me, a small growl leaving his lips as he stares at my face.

Suddenly he turns to Ilyric, his glare dark as his eyes fully glow gold, a guttural growl leaving his lips. It pulls me from my thoughts as I turn my glare to the frozen Fae.

“Leave,” I snap, my eyes cold and tone cutting. How dare he disrespect my home?!

He flinches, a look of surprise spreading across his features.

“I—“

I cut him off, “Leave before I do something I might not regret.” My eyes narrow with my rising anger.